MINNEAPOLIS — Rachel Banham recorded her third 40-point game of the season, leading the Gophers (20-11, 11-7 Big Ten) to an 87-80 win over UW-Milwaukee (19-12, 12-6 Horizon) in the opening round of the WNIT, according to a press release.

Banham’s 48 points were the most scored by an individual college player, women’s or men’s, in Williams Arena history, and set the record for most points in a WNIT game. Banham became the first player in program history to record three 40-point games in their career.

Mikayla Bailey, Carlie Wagner and Shayne Mullaney also reached double digits in scoring, with 14, 10 and 10 respectively. This was the 14th game of the season in which the Gophers had four players put up at least 10 points.

The game was close most of the way, featuring five ties and nine lead changes. The Gophers built their lead to as much as 12 in the fourth quarter, and fended off a late Panther push to seal the victory.

Steph Kostowicz lead the Panthers with 30 points and 11 rebounds and Sierra Ford-Washington had 18 points.

 

How it happened

Back-to-back three-pointers from Bailey helped the Gophers jump out to a quick 8-2 lead. A Mullaney triple with just over a minute to go in the quarter gave Minnesota the lead back, but the at the end of the quarter the teams were squared up at 15.

After a somewhat cold start from the floor, Banham found her shot, pouring in nine points, including a three-pointer to tie the game halfway through the second. Karley Barnes’s second block of the game led to a Bailey trey at the other end of the floor late in the quarter. Mullaney had seven points in the quarter, but the Gophers went into halftime trailing 39-38.

A fast break layup by Bailey from a Joanna Hedstrom pass opened the second half scoring. Wagner’s first basket of the night gave the Gophers the lead with seven and a half minutes to play in the quarter. Banham hit a triple, then stole a pass and made the breakaway layup, giving the Gophers their largest lead since the first quarter.

Banham more than doubled her first half scoring total, dropping 23 in the third alone. Minnesota led 66-64 at the end of the quarter.

Minnesota went on a 12-2 run to open the final frame, giving them the largest lead of the game for either team. A late push by the Panthers saw the gap close to two points with less than two minutes to play, but a steal by Bailey and clutch free throws by Banham helped Minnesota hold onto the lead.

 

More notes

The Gophers have won 20 games in each of their first two seasons under head coach Marlene Stollings

Banham moved into sixth on the NCAA all-time scoring list, passing Cheryl Miller (USC), Chamique Holdsclaw (Tennessee), Maya Moore (UConn), and Elena Della Dawn (Delaware).

Banham’s 23 points in the third was the most by a Gopher in a single quarter this season, breaking her previous record of 18.

The Gophers broke the program record for points in the season for the second straight year. They now have 2,587 this year topping last year’s mark of 2,514.

Barnes blocked multiple shots in a game for the fourth time this season.

Allina Starr recorded her second game of the season with double-digit rebounds.

Bailey tied a career high with three steals.

 

Up next

The Gophers will take on South Dakota at 2 p.m. Sunday at Williams Arena in the second round of the WNIT.